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How to Cliff Drop

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Your first cliff drop is as easy as falling off a log. Literally; it’s the same as falling off a log. Here are the rules to remember…

From Whitelines Basics 2013

Tip:Use the left / right arrow keys

01.

Cliff drops don't require a huge amount of skill
Instead, they ask for commitment, and balls. If you've got the confidence to try them, you'll land them easy. First find the perfect 'learner' cliff: something a little over head high, with a flat (ish) take-off and a vertical cliff face so you don’t have to clear any objects. Although riders more experienced than yourself will try to persuade you that anything under 20 foot isn't a cliff and so isn't worth bothering with, ignore them. It's all getting the technique dialled in the beginning.

02.

You should also look for a nice steep landing
The steeper the better; it might seem less intimidating to drop onto the flat, but the secret all pros know is that a steep landing disperses the impact and ‘catches’ you as you fall. Flat landings mean broken knees!

03.

Make sure the snow is deep enough. Under no circumstances should your drop be attempted when there is anything less than a foot of powder. Ideally, you want a couple of feet of fresh to cushion the landing.

04.

Scope everything out first. Hike above the cliff (always unstrap and look at your cliff from the top – you need to check out where you're going to go) and pat down the take off with your board to make sure there's no spiky rock that might catch your base as you go over the lip.

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